Autumn Menu

Pumpkin Soup anyone?  This time of the year is absolutely phenomenal. With the slight chill in the air and the trees dressed in their bright foliage, the days brim with festive flair!

A great way to really get in the spirit of the season is with soup. 

Pumpkin Pear Soup 

Roast a pumpkin or squash in a 400 degree oven, put your pears in there as well. 

When it is all softened, peel and put it in a pot and cover with water. Add 1 cup of apple juice and simmer. Once everything is falling apart, puree with an immersion blender. Add a few whole sage leaves, pepper,  a pinch of cinnamon and a pinch of cloves.

Simmer, adjust spices and serve with a splash of cream, maple syrup and garnish with a sage leaf. 

Delicious!

As a second course we de up some whitefish cakes

with saffron sauce.

- I was very happy with how they turned out.

I made the sauce by mincing a shallot and sauteeing it in butter

when it was softened, add a pinch of saffron.

 Cook for a minute

and add the juice of 1 lemon  a cup of rose.

reduce by half, add a splash whipping cream

strain

and your sauce is ready to go!

Lemony!

I'm not really certain, but I think the recipe was as follows

1/2 cup of flour

2 eggs

1/2 cup of Thunder Oak dill gouda

an extra pinch of gouda

1/2 cup of shredded carrots

1/2 cup of cooked squash

(I used purple ones- if you do this,

soak them in hot water for a few hours,

or they will turn your cakes purple!)

Whitefish- I used 3 fillets, and chopped them into cubes.

Heat up some oil for frying, about 1/2 inch should do it.

When your oil is hot, drip a scant 1/4 cup into the oil.

when it is nice and browned,

 flip and cook the other side.

Put a pool of the saffron sauce and top with 2 cakes

garnish with scallions-

Yum!

And I forgot to take pictures by the time I got here.

A wedge of mozzarella in oil and balsamic-

I heated grape tomaties in a 400 degree oven on a cookiesheet

just to the point before they exploded

so when you bite into the tomato

"Pop!"

Like garden caviar!